Phoenix is *#*#*#*#ing hot. If you've never lived in a place where you say to yourself every single day "I'll be happy when the weather cools off to 100 degrees" then you cannot compare. As penadamaz said, 110 degrees is the breaking point between hot and *#*#*#*#ing hot. Playing in weather that is hot like that, really drains the energy out of players. Not to mention that it would take die hard fans to come out to a 1:00 pm ESPN game.
It would also take die hard players, and stupid GM's to want to play a game at 1:00pm in the middle of summer in Arizona. If they ever did that, I would have to question MLS' view on the saftey of their players.
Oh boy! 1st of all AZ can't even support the Cardinals and the NFL is THE most popular league in the US. 2nd Florida is great example of just because Hispanics live there doesn't always mean success...Tampa and Miami..need I say more. I know Phoenix has huge Mexican soccer loving population, but they have to want to buy MLS tickets, NOT support Mexican clubs. Finally Phoenix has large growing retirement community like South FL who don't have any money or care for the MLS! Sounds mean, but life isn't always nice.
Ok, I admit that there are just as many cons to an Arizona team as there pros. After a lot of attacks on me (dcrpoop,Mike Segroves,the rest of you know who you are), I would have to agree most with USWins06: MLS will work if we can get into the new Cardinals stade that opens in 2006. The building needs a summer tenant, excavation began last month. It's a perfect fit. But that's the only way it'll happen. You need A/C in the summer.
Phx & MLS Those who quote the heat as an arugement are missing the point. The only hope for Phx is the Cards new stadium. Nobody has ever supported the Cards, including St Louis, a good sports town. No one will w/ Bill Bidwell in charge. Decent soccer town with year round play. The D-backs still were about 5th in attendance this year, didn't make the playoffs and their star pitching was out or off all year. Phoenix is not a hockey town. Back to the D-backs, the Firebirds didn't draw real well playing in the heat, but the D-backs have done well. Come down to the stadium. It may be to expensive to rent to recover operating costs. Need a big money investor also. And most of all, MLS is a crap shoot altogether, along with any city in expansion talks. But right now probably isn't the time for Phoenix, and it is pretty saturated in sports. But I heavily doubt the concern would be for fans loving their home town team for MLS too much to cheer on a Phoenix side. If you think Phoenix is all retiree check out Suprise.